THE WA man at the centre of the Thai surrogate abandoned baby row has multiple convictions for sexual offences against children.

It comes as authorities reveal they are investigating the case – as new details about how the Bunbury couple met emerge.

The man was jailed for three years in 1997 after admitting to sexually assaulting two young children.

According to media reports from the time, the Bunbury man, who was then 39, pleaded guilty to the sex crimes and had previously admitted to molesting two teenage girls 15 years earlier.

In the newspaper article, Judge Michael O’Sullivan said his actions had violated the youngster’s innocence and warranted a jail term.

He said the man would normally receive four years for his crimes but instead would be sentenced to three years because of his early guilty plea.

The WA Department of Child Protection is assessing the safety and well-being of Gammy’s twin.

Acting Director General Department for Child Protection Emma White said officials: “today commenced an assessment of the safety and wellbeing of the child.”

At 6.30pm, two people believed to be officers from the DCP knocked on the door of the couple’s home to seek a meeting.

But no one answered and the officers left a business card at the front door.

PerthNow has also learned the Bunbury couple, who PerthNow are not naming for legal reasons, are listed as a success story on Chinese dating agency website Zhanjiang Happy Marriage Agency.

They married in 2004 in China after meeting eight months earlier.

“(They) were very responsible and sincere to their marriage. In order to know more about the lady, (the man) came to Jianjiang on 22 June of 2004 for their meeting and interaction,” it says.

“They decided to get married on 11 July in China. When the man came again in October of 2004, they held their wedding…”

Controversy continues to develop in the baby Gammy case.Source: Supplied

WA Supreme court documents also show the WA man, who is believed to be the father of baby Gammy and is accused of abandoning him, also abused at least three girls under the age of 13 in the late 1990s.

He was charged with six counts of indecently dealing with a child under the age of 13 and was convicted and sentenced again.

He had faced court for those charges while he was on parole for molesting the two young children under the age of 10.

Today, authorities said they had been called in to investigate the suitability of the man after being contacted by WA Police last night.

“We are currently working with WA Police and are assessing the situation,” a government spokesman added.

The couple is accused of abandoning seven-month-old baby Gammy who has Down syndrome and a congenital heart disease.

The couple are believed to have paid $16,000 for the surrogate who claimed they took the healthy twin, a girl, but abandoned Gammy after first asking for him to be terminated before birth.

The couple deny this, telling media yesterday that they did not abandon Gammy and that the doctor told them only about the healthy baby girl.

The Nine Network reported last night that the man’s wife confirmed her husband had a conviction for indecently dealing with a child under 13 and had served jail time after being found guilty in 1998.